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Could you recommend a tree for me?

DSC04933 Liquidambar Styraciflua 93-058A rob

“Could you recommend a tree for me?” is a question I am frequently asked.  I routinely follow the question with one of my own.  “Where will it go?” The tried and true adage of “right plant, right place” is particularly applicable to tree selection.  Are you planting in a small courtyard, or looking for a towering shade tree?  It is often said that we don’t plant trees for ourselves; we plant them for our grandchildren.  It takes decades for a tree to reach its mature height.  Careful planning can insure that the variety selected will be beneficial for both you…

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Photographing Autumn

Dancing Nyssa sylvatica. photo credit: R. Maurer

Autumn is upon us in the Delaware Valley and I find myself scheduling several early morning and late afternoon “golden hours” each week to try and capture the fleeting transition of the flora around us. It is this fleeting nature of autumn that captivates me this time of year as a photographer. One day, just a few hours or even just a few seconds can make an entirely different moment any time of year, but autumn seems to be exceedingly fleeting and what might be a beautiful scene of fall color one day might be a bare landscape the next.

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Reflections…

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Saddleback Caterpillar

Saddleback caterpillar photo credit: N. Lewis

The saddleback caterpillar is stunningly beautiful, but it is most likely to impress its presence upon you with a devilish sting. If you innocently brush against one where it hangs on the underside of a leaf, you will be punished with an intensely burning welt for several minutes at least. Perhaps you can forgive its cruelty as you marvel at its vivid color and otherworldly form.

The caterpillar’s common name refers to the brown, saddle-like blotch in the center of its rich kelly green back. Each end is capped with reddish-brown and bears a pair of imposing bristly “horns.” The head…

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